Clothes line hanger device



Jan. 13, 1959 o. E. CRITES 2,868,383

CLOTHES LINE HANGER DEVICE Filed May 14, 1954 Herr w 5' @15 5// I. D i v ll f /0 l6' -|6 F T 7M! IN V EN TOR.

Orr E. Crites ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,868,388 CLOTHES LINE HANGER DEVICE Orr E. Crites, Millburn, N. J.

Application May 14, 1954, Serial No. 429,7 66 2 Claims. (01. 211-1191) This invention relates to a clothes line hanger and more particularly to such a hanger device which is adapted to be sustained and supported between and by two opposing walls, such as the tiled end walls of a threesided recess in a bath room within which is seated a bath tub. t

The object of the invention is to provide such a clothes line hanger device that can be detachably secured or mounted between said tiled end walls at a horizontal level permitting normal use of the bath tub with the clothes line extending horizontally over the bath tub from end to end thereof to permit the hanging of wet clothes thereon for draining and drying.

Another object is to provide a clothes line hanger device of the type described that can be easily mounted anddemounted in position over a bath tub and which ;is comprised of a plurality of parts or sections readily assembled and disassembled for easy packaging or storing.

Still another object is to provide a simple and efiective bath tub clothes line hanger device for general utility in the home.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention ismore fully hereinafter disclosed.

In accordance with these objects, I have devised a clothes line hanger device comprised of a plurality of parts or elements that may be readily assembled together into a unitary structure adapted to be readily mounted and demounted upon and between the tiled opposing end walls of a bath tub recess in operative position, of which the clothes line hanger device illustrated in the drawings is one specific embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: t

Fig. 1 is a perspective side elevational view of a typical bath tub recess found in the bath rooms of homes and apartments in this country, illustrating the present invention in mounted position therein and over the bath tub; M

Fig.2 is an enlarged side view of one end of: the said invention! Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of same taken along plane 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along plane 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are two sectional views taken along plane 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing one element of the present invention in inoperative and operating position, respectively;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of one of the elements of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a side view of the same element illustrating its adaptability and operativeness under another mounting condition.

Referring to the drawing, the clothes line hanger device of the present invention consists of the following main cooperating elements each of which is subject to wide modification without essential departure from the invention as exemplified in the specific embodiment:

(1) Two (2) substantially identical cross-bar elements Patented Jan. 13, 1959 (2) A telescoping bridge element C provided with means L-L' to adjust the overall length of the element C; and

(3) Wall engaging feet elements A, one for each end of the cross-bar elements B, each said elements A being substantially identical and interchangeable one with the other.' t

In addition to these main elements of the invention, means N are provided to detachably secure the said feet A to the opposite ends of the cross-bars B and means P are provided to detachably secure the ends of the bridge element C to the cross-bars B to comprise a unitary hanger device adapted to be mounted in operating position over a bath tub T.

Referring more particularly to the elements 1, 2 and 3, it is believed apparent that the wall engaging feet elements A may be widely varied in size, shape and configuration without essential departure from the invention and all such substantial equivalent structures are to be considered within the scope of this invention. In the particular design shown in the drawings, the feet A are designed for spring-urged frictional engagement with.

a wall surface W in opposition to the tension stress of bridge C and the weight of clothes D supported by the able, however, to. employ relatively light weight rust engaging sections Ill-10 of the feet A has been found to be adequate. It is also preferred to shape the leg sections 11-11 of the feet A substantially as indicated in Fig. 8 to adapt the feet A to be mounted on a shower curtain rod R where one end wall W has been displaced by the said rod R. t

To obtain the desired frictional engagement of the sections 10-10 and 1111 to thewallW or'the rod R surfaces a section of rubber tubing 12j12' is slipped over these sections substantially as shown in the drawings. This arrangement provides for easy replacement when the rubber tube becomes worn or disintegrated with age.

Section 13 of the feet A has a size, shape and configuration conforming to the size, shape and configuration of the flattened end sections 14 on each end of the crossbars B and is provided with a centered opening 0 (Fig. 7) of substantially the same diameter as the centered opening 0' in each flattened end section 14 of the crossbar B. These openings 0-0 have a diameter approximating but larger than the diameter of the bolt 15 of the means N. Underlying each section 13 of each foot A and secured in position by bent over clips 16-16' carried by foot A, is a nut 17 into which the bolt 15 of the means N is adapted to be threaded to secure the cross-bars B to the feet A, in conformity with the object of the means N.

Referring now to the cross-bars B the said bars are substantially identical in size, shape and configuration and the description of one bar is a description of the other bar substantially as is the case with the feet A.

I prefer to comprise the bar B of an aluminum tube of approximately /2 inch outside diameter although the spe cific diameter may vary widely without essential departure from the invention. At spaced intervals along the length of the bar B the tube is flattened substantially as shown, to provide for the mounting thereon of the plurality of clothes line supporting means M, each of which means M is substantially identical. As indicated, the fiattened areas 2020' on each side of the bar A are disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the flattened end sections 14 of the bar B.

Aligned central openings 2121 are provided in each flattened area 20-20 through which extends bolt 22 which is secured therein by means of threaded lock washer 23 having oppositely disposed downwardly curving edge extensions 24--24' adapting the washer 23 to hold the clothes line I in position thereon when the threaded nut 26 is located in the position shown. Each means M is identical and interchangeable and the description of one is a description of all of the said means M.

At the approximate middle of each bar I have provided a means P for securing thereto one of the ends of the telescoping bridge elements C. This bridge element C is comprised of three (3) tubular sections identified by numerals 30, 31 and 32.. The sections 31 and 32 are substantially identical and are each adapted to telescope into the sections 30, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The means LL on opposite ends of the section 30 are provided to secure the telescoping ends of the sections 31--32 in any desired telescoped position in the sections 30.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the means P for securing the opposite ends of the bridge C to the cross-bars B consists in this specific embodiment of a slotted opening 33 in the bar B and a flattened end 34 on each part 31 and 32 adapted to seat within the slotted opening 33. The slotted opening 33 is located in the cross-bar B in the position substantially as shown, to provide the bridge C with an arcuate bend thereby to place the bars B and the feet A under spring tension sufiicient to cause the feet A to frictionally engage the surfaces of the Walls WW', and to remain in tension when the weight of the clothes D on the lines I is applied thereto.

Referring now to Figs.'5' and 6, the means L--L' shown is a simple lock arrangement for adjustably securing each end of the sections 31--32 in telescoped position in the section 30. The means LL' consists substantially of concave headed pin 40, the concave head 41 of which is countersunk into a hole 42 in the wall of section 30. The

concavity of the head 41 is such that in one position, as shown in Fig. 5, the head aligns with the inside bore surface of the section 30 permitting the end of section 31 to be freely telescoped within the section 30. When the pin 40 is rotated 90, however, as shown in Fig. 6, by

means of knob 43 the concaved head 41 pinches the see- Ill 4 tion 31 upwardly against the section 30 holding the section 31 in this adjusted position tightly. A reverse turn of the knob 43 frees the section 31 for telescoping movement in the section 30.

It is believed apparent from the above disclosure of the invention and from the specific embodiment of same illus trated in the drawings, that the same may be widely modified without essential departure therefrom and all such modifications and adaptations of the invention are contemplated as may fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a clothes line hanger device, a cross bar adapted to bear and anchor against a supporting surface, said bar being of pro-determined length and having a supporting foot at each end thereof, each foot being substantially of V-form with the sides terminating in aligned outward supporting surface contacting portions, means detachably securing each foot to its associated end of the cross bar and each end of the bar being flattened in a vertical, transverse plane to provide a seat for said feet, said bar being flattened at spaced points along its length to present vertically aligned, upper and lower horizontally fiat surfaces, a bolt projecting downwardly through each vertically aligned pair of such surfaces and having a nut associated therewith to rigidify the bolts with respect to the bar but having a threaded free end of each bolt depending from the bar, each nut having downwardly curved lateral extensions forming seats straddling each bolt, a knurled nut received On the end of each bolt and having a flat upper face received between said lateral extensions to clamp the loop of a clothes line Within said cleats, and the central portion of said bar being provided with aligned slots aligned in a downward direction toward that side of the bar to which said feet are secured, said slots being adapted for the reception of the flattened end of an associated bridge piece.

2. The assembly as defined in and by claim 1 wherein said feet are encased in rubber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,626 Boehm Oct. 24, 1911 1,037,846 Anderson Sept. 10, 1912 1,364,638 Pardridge Jan. 4, 1921 1,596,506 Morgan Aug. 17, 1926 1,763,034 Bunker June 10, 1930 2,558,410 Andersen June 26, 1951 2,617,571 Hart Nov. 11, 1952 2,618,450 Thomas Nov. 18, 1952 2,639,816 Fogg May 26, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 209,316 Switzerland June 17, 1940 125,602 Sweden July 26, 1949 

